Alice Isabella Insley came as a small girl to Dersingham from London; her father was a policeman. For many years she was headteacher at Snettisham and among her many interests was a love of music. She would cycle to the Catholic Church in Hunstanton to play the organ there. It was a fervent wish of Miss Insley that there should be a Catholic Church in her own village. The lady took a keen - and successful interest in the Stock Exchange. When she died in 1984 aged 93, she left a considerable sum to the Catholic Diocese for a church to be built in Dersingham - preferably in her garden. If it was not used within a certain period, it was to be divided up amongst a variety of Catholic charities. The Diocese found the bequest something of an embarrassment. It was thought there were not enough Catholics and certainly not enough priests but eventually, rather than lose the money, land was purchased (the site of the Dun Cow pub). The church was named after the patron saint of music (St Cecilia) and the first Mass celebrated there in November 1990. She is buried at Hunstanton.
